China Maritime Report No. 8: Winning Friends and Influencing People: Naval Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics
Abstract
In recent years, Chinese leaders have called on the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) to carryout tasks related to naval diplomacy beyond maritime East Asia, in the "far seas." Designed to directly support broader strategic and foreign policy objectives, the PLAN participates in a range of overtly political naval diplomatic activities, both ashore and at sea, from senior leader engagements to joint exercises with foreign navies. These activities have involved a catalogue of platforms, from surface combatants to hospital ships, and included Chinese naval personnel of all ranks. To date, these acts of naval diplomacy have been generally peaceful and cooperative in nature, owing primarily to the services limited power projection capabilities and Chinas focus on more pressing security matters closer to home. However, in the future a more blue-water capable PLAN could serve more overtly coercive functions to defend and advance Chinas rapidly growing overseas interests when operating abroad.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1132283
Entities
People
- Timothy R. Heath
Organizations
- Naval War College